The profitability of a casino is directly related to such factors as the statistical house advantage provided by games offered by the casino, and the amount of money wagered by players. In general, profits are increased in casinos by increasing the amount of money wagered. It is therefore in the interest of casinos to attract as many players as possible, and to encourage them to continue playing as long as possible and to wager as much as possible.
One technique used by casinos to attract and retain players is the granting complementaries or “comps”. Comps are benefits such as free or discounted food, lodging, entertainment or transportation given to players in recognition of amounts wagered and/or periods of time spent playing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,896, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Controlling a Gaming Device Having a Plurality of Balances,” and commonly assigned with this application, discloses a slot machine that employs multiple credit meters so that players are given incentives to pay relatively large credit balances into the slot machine instead of merely inserting enough of a payment for the next play cycle.
It would be desirable to add new features to existing games to provide incentives for further play. It would also be desirable to add features that enhance the interest and entertainment value of existing games.